The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1887-10-14
A slo POINT GAINED.

kato. Alta glance this announcement
may appear to be of small importance,
but in fact it contains that which puts
Mankato in position aud opens for her
prosperity that she has hardly dared
to hope for. The notice by this road of
desire to change its rates means that
the Minneapolis & st. Louis company
has determined to grant to the Mankato
Jobbers' Union its demand for equitable
rates as compared with st. Paul and
Minneapolis. This city hiss been placed
at disadvantage by being west of the
limit of competitive rates and has had
to pay from 20 to 10 per cent. higher
tariffs than Waterville, on the NJ, 4 st.
L. and GAINESVILLE on the Northwestern.
This injustice to Mankato is what the
Jobbers' Union has long been struggling
against. The railways have fully recog-
nized the justice of the demands made
by our business men that lower rates be
made, but because of the spool. and
because it was not to their own interest
to give Mankato her rights we have
been compelled to suffer this discrimina-
ton. When the Interstate Commerce
Commission met in st. Paul few weeks
ago it will be remembered that the case
against the st. Louis road was heard and
the arguments made by General Pope
were such as to give an impression that
the commission would decide fayorably
to Mankato. The commissioners have
the case under consideration at present,
but it appears that the railway company
felt that the decision would be against
it, for it Yesterday advised tine Union
that it would grant the demand in adj
vance of the decision, and telegraphed
the Traffic Association its fifteen days
notice of an intention to lower the tariff.
The competitive rate which GAINESVILLE
and Waterville have had, but didn't
know what to do with, will be extended
to Mankato. This will he reduction in
the rate from Chicago by from 20 to 40
per cent, the greatest reduction being
on Fifth class, the class which affects
Mankato business men most largely.
When this new order of affairs goes into
effect Mankato will get her goods from
Chicago at los per cent. of the st. Paul
rate. This is as it should be and is a
fair and equitable rate, considering the
additional length of the haul to st. Paul.
1t will place Mankato upon an equal
footing, or nearly so, with st. Paul, and
the big Eastern concerns which want to
distribute their goods into Southern
Minnesota and Dakota, will at once see
that Mankato is the most available
point. 1t will be the most westerly city
enjoying the competitive rate and with
its four or five roads going IN as many
different directions Mankato will be
sure to develop into great distributing
point for Eastern manufacturers and
jobbers.
The new rates Will probably not go in
to effect before fifteen days. What &C,
ton the other roads coming into the city
will take is not known, but as they car
hardly afford to lose their entire Manka
to business it is safe to conclude thai
they will not be slow to follow the ex'
ample of the NJ. & st. L. Should they
do so at once, the new rates will go into
effect the sooner.
Our business men and citizens will
doubtless appreciate the action of the
Minneapolis & st. Louis in taking the
initiatory in this matter, and that road
is likely TO lose nothing by its move. II
will at once move into high popularity
with Mankato people, and will soon be
doing a business that will make its ad.
vent to Mankato paying one for the
stockholders.
The reduction in the Chicago rate will
De very nkelY TO result IN Reductions
from st. Paul and other points. Unless
there is some hitch or disappointment
a new era of prosperity is opened up fol
Mankato. In conversation with prom,
inent jobber last evening, he stated his
belief that Mankato would now soon be,
come as important jobbing and distri,
buting point as any in the Northwest
Eastern firms could put their goods into
Mankato as cheap as at St. Paul, and
with the fact of this being the most west
erly point enjoying the low tariff, to-
gether with the facilities for distribution,
and other advantages to be found here,
would be sure to bring Mankato into
prominence. The importance and good
results which this concession of the rail-
way company will bring for Mankato
can hardly be estimated. All credit to
those earnest and determined members
of the Jobbers' Union who have so per-
sistently and faithfully worked to bring
about this good work.
The appended table shows the pres
ent st. Paul rate, the present Mankato
rate, and also the rate which Mankato
expects to obtain under the new con-
cession:
PRESENT ST. PAUL RATE.
g 80 q % SO g 20 g IL Il ~ Is IS p
PRESENT MANKATo RATE.
10 30 80 % 174 224 Is Is Is 10
PROSPECTIVE MANKATo RATE.
LIST I'd Bird Attn 5th A B. G D, 3
523 AZ 81 q l3B 1SS 153 IA III 81
This Is without doubt the most adj
vantageous concession any inland city
in the west has ever obtained. The
liberslity of the st. Louis road in this
matter is in keeping with other acts of
the great Rock Island system and we
again repeat that it was most fortunate
day for Mankato when this road was
bullt into the CITY